In the field of heating and air conditioning, there are known problems causing discomfort to occupants, inefficiencies resulting in excessive cost to building operators, and inconveniences in tho operation and control of present systems.
For example, central building control of temperature, air flow, humidity, and the like, or even individual room controls, usually leaves many persons in the building or within the room uncomfortable or dissatisfied with the condition of their particular work environment. Different people have differing personal comfort needs. Also, different locations in a building, or even in a single room, are not satisfactorily cooled or heated, giving rise to complaints about discomfort and illness, resulting in potential absenteeism, sickness and loss of productivity.
Further, conventional air conditioning systems generally require expensive duct work, usually in floors or ceilings, or both, which cause unnecessary heating and cooling of unused space, particularly space surrounding the duct work and space above the head level of the occupants, for example, the upper four feet of space in a room having a twelve foot ceiling. Such duct work also imposes a substantial energy demand for movement of conditioned air through the ducts and presents difficulties in cleaning.
Prior systems with fixed floor or wall mounted air outlet grilles limited the location of furniture and equipment in a manner which would not block air flow. Such prior systems also created areas of complaint or discomfort caused by high or low air velocity and/or extreme high or low temperature depending upon the proximity of the air outlet grilles. Air outlet grilles frequently needed to be moved to accommodate changes in air conditioning load or rearrangement of the workspace.
Consequently, in the field of heating and air conditioning, there exists a need for providing a flow of conditioned air directly to or near a person seated at a desk or work area, as well as to occupants of the surrounding area. More particularly, there exists a need for a desk or work area wherein the occupant can individually obtain and control the amount of conditioned air supplied proximate the desk or work area for maximizing the comfort, well-being, health and productivity of the worker, while maintaining a desirable flow of conditioned air to the surrounding area.
Personal air terminals disclosed in the prior art are not readily adaptable to receive air from underneath the floor. Such personal air terminals are generally uniform in cross section and, therefore, frictionally impede the flow of air therethrough. Because the flow of air is impeded, such systems are inefficient and give rise to greater operating costs. Hence, a need exists for supplying conditioned air to an area proximate a desk or work area from underneath the floor in an efficient manner by facilitating flow of air through the personal air terminal.
To remedy the problems inherent in existing personal air terminals, the present invention provides a personal air terminal which telescopes inwardly to facilitate flow of air therethrough and thereby increase the efficiency of the system. The personal air terminal of the present invention allows an occupant proximate the air terminal to individually control the conditioned air flowing into his, or her immediate environment without significantly decreasing the flow of conditioned air to the surrounding area. Therefore, the personal air terminal of the present invention results in considerable savings in the form of increased worker comfort and productivity, improved worker health and decreased utility costs.